E-Newsletter Index

January 2012

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New & Noteworthy

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Spotlight

In honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Teachinghistory.org has created a special spotlight page that features website reviews, teaching materials, quizzes, and ideas for how to incorporate Dr. King’s legacy into your classroom.

Elementary

Adapting Documents for the Classroom

Primary source materials often include difficult or outdated language that can be a challenge for even the ablest readers. Learn strategies for adapting documents and find an example for elementary classrooms that adapts John Smith’s account of his first meeting with Pocahontas’ father, Powhatan. Learn how.

Middle

National Atlas

Need maps for an upcoming lesson on territorial expansion or past presidential elections? Using National Atlas, find printable maps for classroom use, or try your hand at MapMaker which allows you to create your own custom maps based on variables such as climate, agriculture, geology, and demographics. Learn more.

High

KeepVid

If your district blocks all access to online video, what is a good way to download videos at home for classroom use? In this Ask a Digital Historian, we look at one possible digital tool called KeepVid, a free service for storing video. And we explore the related question of digital copyright in the classroom. Read more.

Historical Thinking

Teaching American History

Civil War Letters

Is one primary source enough to tell a complete story? What about three? Download three Civil War letters from a white Union soldier, a black Union soldier, and a Confederate soldier and then watch as historian Chandra Manning examines these letters, paying particular attention to the different concerns of each man. Bring a historian into your classroom today! View here.

Framing History with Historical Questions

If you work with vertical teams of teachers, consider reframing the curriculum around “essential questions” (EQs). EQs address the big questions in history, allow for multiple interpretations, and are applicable to varied time periods. Learn how the Northern Nevada TAH project team used EQs, and get inspiration for your next project. Learn more.

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